Discussion on the priorities of Latvia-Lithuania Programme after 2013 will be held in January and February in the bordering regions

10.01.2013

Latvia–Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme in January and February 2013 is going to organize five regional discussions on the support fields of the programme after 2013 aiming to listen and summarize the opinions of interested parties in the bordering regions. Simultaneously, it is planned to evaluate the current experience of the programme.

“The summarization of such opinions should be commenced in time, taking into consideration that both Latvia and Lithuania have expressed a wish to cooperate in the next planning period for 2014-2020. As the regions are the significant parties in the implementation of the programme, the discussions in the regions play a great role in the process of preliminary research which is planned to be presented to the representatives of Latvia and Lithuania on 24 January 2013 in Riga at the first Joint Programming Committee initiating the discussions on programme future after 2013,” emphasizes Iruma Kravale, a director of the Development Instruments Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

Holding discussions with the partners of the region projects of Latvia–Lithuania Programme and the representatives of state authorities and municipalities, nongovernmental organizations, educational institutions, as well as the representatives of other interested institutions, there will be considered proposals on the priorities which can serve as a basis for the programme financing disposition in Latvia and Lithuania during the planning period for 2014-2020.

With the aim to achieve more visible and deeper result, during 2014-2020 the financial support will be focused on a limited number of areas, avoiding fragmentation.

According to the latest data, more than EUR 32 million or 53% of the total Latvia–Lithuania Programme financing of EUR 60 million has been paid to the Programme's projects. During the period in total 116 projects have been approved and are currently implemented; that involves 600 project partners in Latvia and Lithuania.

Latvia–Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme for 2007-2013 is one of the programmes of the “European Territorial Cooperation” of the European Union funds the aim of which is to contribute to the development of the bordering regions in Latvia and Lithuania making the regions more attractive to live and visit.

The bordering territories of the programme in Latvia are Kurzeme, Zemgale, Latgale, in its turn in Lithuania – Klaipeda, Telsiai, Siauliai, Panevezys, Utena, as well as Kaunas as an additional territory. The Managing Authority of the programme is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development in Latvia.